Attachment plug



J. B. MAGEE ATTACHMENT PLUG A ril 18, 1933.

' Filed March 15, 1950 (I I ll llll Patented Apr. 18, 1933 'm 3; KAGEE,0F NYACK, NEW YORK ATTACHMENT PLUG Application filed March 13,, 1930.Serial No. 435,415.

This'invention relates to attachment plugs, particularly adapted for usewith electrical appliances or utensils such lamps, flab irons toastersand other household devices, the object of the invention being toprovide an improved plug for connection with a light socket or wallsocket and having therein a readily renewable fuse which will serve toprotect the main fuses of the building so that in the event of shortcircuit the fuse of the plug will be blown out instead of the main fusesin the houseor building, and which fuse member can .be readily renewedwithout the separation of the parts of the plug and thus obviate thenecessity of going to the main fuse box, usually located in a more orless inaccessible place, and trying to determine which one of theusually numerous fuses in the fuse box has blown.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a simple,inexpensive electrical plug havin a detachable fuse therein which can berea ily and quickly removed and re placed by any inex erienced personwithout the necessity of tafiing the lug apart and which by reason ofits location between the appliance and the light socket will not onlyprotect the main fuses but will enable the user to know without detailedexamination just what fuse has to be replaced.

In the drawing accompanying and form: ing a part of this specificationF' 1 is a view of this improved electrical lug aving the readilyremovable fuse member therein;

Fig. 2 is an inside'view of one-half or the cover portion of the plug;

Fig. 3 is an inside View of the other half or body portion of the plug,this view showin the sliding fuse member therein; 7

Fig. 4 is across sectional view taken, on line H of Fig. 1; I,

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the fuse carrying member or slide; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the projecting prongs orterminals.

Similar characters of reference indicate correspondin parts in theseveral views.

Before exp aming in detail the present improvement and mode of operationthereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is notlimited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts whichare illustrated in the accompanying since the invention is capable ofother can bodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is for thepurpose of description and not of limitation.

This improved plug in the preferred form thereof comprises a bodyportion 2 and a cover portion 3 made of any suitable insulated materialas of'hard rubber. In the form shown, one member of the plug as the bodyis provided with two sets of terminals or contact members spaced apart,one set comprising a pair of projecting prongs 4 for attachment in theusual way to a light or wall socket. Each of these prongs is providedwith an upstanding or bent inner end 5. Each of the other set ofterminals 6 is preferably located in a recess 7 communicating with anopening 8 at the end of the plug for the passage of the usual flexiblecord or conductor and each of these terminals is likewise provided withan upstanding-or bent end 9.- These recesses 7 are separated by aprotecting partition 7 The cover is substantially similarly formed andis therefore suitably recessed to receive the upstanding ends 5 and 9 ofthe several terminals and also to permit the passage of the cord, thiscover being secured to the body portion by suitable fastening devices orscrews, one being shown in the present instance and is provided with atransverse opening or recess 10 for the insertion of the fuse member orslide, this recess having a width corresponding to the space between.the upstanding ends of the two sets of termi nals 5 and 9 so that whenthe fuse slide is in place the fuses carried thereb will form contactwith the terminals -5 an 9.

Insertible into this transverse recess 10 is a slide member 11 ofsuitable insulating ma-, terial having a pair of fuses or fuse wires 12'located in spaced position to form contact between the two sets ofspaced terminals of the plug so that when the fuse slide is in positionthere will be an electrical connection between these terminals.

drawin" 5 In the present instance ordinary fuse wire is used each ofwhich is bent over at its ends along the edges of the fuse slide so asto make suflicient contact with the terminals.

In practice the slide is provided with openings 13 of sufficient size tospace the side walls thereof from the fuse wires thereby permitting thewires to break or blow under a short circuit and also facilitating theinspection of the fuse wires when the slide is withdrawn from the plug.

The fuse wires may be of a size to withstand any desired amount ofcurrent but preferably will be of a size to carry somewhat less amperagethan the regular house fuses thereby insuring that they will blow outwithout the current running therethrough to the house fuses.

In practice the slide is provided with a thumb nail groove 14 whereby itcan be readily pulled out from the plug.

When either of the fuses blows out thus putting the appliance or utensilout of-commission, it is merely necessary to slip out the slide andinsert a new one which can easily be done by anyone.

As it is usual to use an attachment plug with each appliance or utensilit follows that when the appliance goes out of commission the user willnow immediately know that there is something wrong with the appliancethat has caused the fuse to blow out so that it is unnecessary to go to,the main fuse box to find the particular fuse that is blown out. Aseach of these main fuses usually controls a number of sockets in thebuilding it is often diflicult to ascertain just what particularappliance or lamp has caused the trouble, so that the presentimprovement very much facilitates the location of the trouble andpermits the removal of the fuse in the room where the trouble occurredwithout the necessity of going to the main fuse box and tr 'ng toascertain which particular fuse is lown out, so that the presentimprovement not only has the advantages stated but also the furtheradvantage t at it protects the fuses in the building.

In practice the plug could be formed as a socket if desired, havin thisimproved re movable fuse slide therein.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein anyparticular form structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limitthe invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirementsof the prior art.

Having thus exilained the nature of my said invention an described a wayof constructing and using the same, although without attempting to setforth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes ofits use, I claim:

1. An attachment plughaving two pairs of spaced terminals an a atdetachable member carrying a pair of fuses for maintaining electricconnection between said pairs of terminals.

'2. An attachment lug having two airs of spaced terminals and a slidablemem r carrying a pair of fuses for maintaining electric connectionbetween said pairs of terminals.

3. An attachment plug having spaced terminals and a flat detachablemember carrying a fuse member for maintaining electric connectionbetween both of said terminals.

4. An attachment plug having spaced terminals and a slidable membercarrying a pair of fuse members for maintaining electric connectionbetween both of said terminals.

5. An attachment plug having a plurality of pairs of spaced terminalsand a single sli able member carrying a plurality of spaced fuses formaintaining electric connection between said pairs of terminals.

6. An attachment plug having two sets of spaced terminals and an openingthrough the wall thereof, and means insertible through said opening andcarrying fuses to maintain electric connection between said sets ofterminals.

7. An attachment plug having two sets of spaced terminals and an openingthrough the wall thereof, and means insertible through said opening andcarrying fuses to maintain electric connection between said sets ofterminals, said means comprising a slide and spaced fuses carriedthereby.

8. An attachment plug having two pairs of spaced terminals provided withupturned ends and an opening through the wall thereof in communicationwith the space between said upturned ends, and a slidable fuse memberinsertible through said opening for maintaining electric connectionbetween said spaced terminals.

9. An attachment plug having two pairs of spaced terminals provided withupturned ends and an opening through the wall thereof in communicationwith the space between said upturned ends, and a slidable fuse-memberinsertible through said opening for maintaining electric connectionbetween said spaced terminals, said member projecting exteriorly of theplug thereby to permit the ready removal thereof.

- 10. An attachment plug having a pair of terminals for the connectionof conducting wires, and a pair of prong formed terminals for insertioninto a socket, the two pairs of terminals being spaced apart, aslidablefuse member carrying a pair of wire formed fuses having overturned endsfor contact with said terminals, said member projecting exteriorly ofthe plug thereby to facilitate the replacefor insertion into a socket,the two ire of terminals being spaced apart, a slida 1e fuse membercarrying a pair of wire formed fuses having overturned ends for contactwith said terminals, said member projectinglexteriorly of the plugthereby to facilitate t e replace:

ment thereof, and said member having 0 nings with the side walls thereofspaced the fuses.

p 12. A flat slidable'fuse member of a single thickness having aplurality of spaced fuses projecting edgewise therethrough for an,attachment plug.

13. A fiat slidable fuse member of a single thickness having openingsand having a pair of spaced fuses projecting edgewise therethrough andspaced from the side walls of the openings for an attachment plug.

14. A flat slidable fuse member of a single thickness having openingsand a pair of spaced fuse wires projecting edgewise therethrough withthe ends thereof overturned at the opposite edges of the member for anattachment plu 15. A fiat slidable fuse member of a single thicknesshaving openings and a. pair of spaced fuse wires projecting e ge throughthe openings and spaced from the side walls thereof with the ends bentover the silde edges of the member for an attachment P 16. An attachmentplug comprisin a body and a detachable cover, two pairs of spacedterminals carried by one of said members, one of said members having arecess between the ends of the two pairs of terminals andopening'through the wall of the plug, and a slidable fuse memberinsertibleinto said. recess and havin fuse members in position tomaintain electric contact between the two pairs of terminals, andreadily removable upon the blowing out of the fuses;

Signed at Nyack, in the county of Rockland and State of New York,this-10th day of March, 1930.

JAMES B. MAGEE.

